Does Tire Sealant Expire?

Tire sealants are perhaps the fastest means of solving a flat tire problem. The effectiveness of the sealant, however, depends on whether the sealant has expired or not. A good number of people out there are unsure of the expiration for tire sealants and believe the product does not get expired in the actual sense.

So, does the tire sealant expire? Of course, it does. There is no doubt about this. The expiration date of tire sealant however depends on how well or how badly the sealant was stored. With proper storage, you can be sure that the sealant will last for at least 4 years following the date of manufacture.

What does proper storage mean? Well, this means that the sealant should be stored in a dry and cool environment, preferably in its original packaging. Turning the sealant out of its original packaging is one of the causes of an early or premature expiration.

Every sealant has written on the packaging the date of manufacture, simply add 4 years ahead to know when the sealant will become unusable.

There are however some new forms of sealant such as RAC sealant which the manufacturers claim do not expire. For this reason, products such as this do not have any data written on them.

In general, the shelf life of any given tire sealant is usually about 4 years from its time of manufacture. This is however greatly influenced by the condition of storage of the sealant.

The heat within the tire, as well as air pressure, greatly influence the consistency of the sealant. After about 2 to 3 years, this will cause the sealant to harden up, that is, because solidified as opposed to the former liquid state.

The chances of this happening depend on the number of punctures the tire experiences. In a tire that has never had any puncture, the sealant will remain intact in a liquid state for as long as 4 years.

However, following a picture, the sealant should ideally be considered for replacement after about two years of usage. Thankfully, this coming coincides with the recommended time for a change in tires and tubes.

Depending on how often the car is driven, the tires and tube overtime will undergo considerable wear and tear which demand their replacement.

The formulation and consequent expiration date of tire sealants also vary among the different types of tire sealants. The type of components in terms of binders, fibers, and other sealing agents used in the formulation of the tire sealant plays a significant role in the expiration date.

As for the emergency tire sealant, it is most beneficial to cars designed to be driven at an incredibly high speed. When such a vehicle develops a small size punitive in its tires, this can be easily fixed using the emergency tire sealant.

They are only effective for a short time duration during which time the driver should hasten up in finding a more permanent solution to the puncture such as replacing the tire with a spare.

Trending Searches

How to know when tire sealants have expired?

It is important to learn about the features of an expired tire sealant in order not to fall victim to applying a sealing agent that may not yield any positive results.

A good number of persons who in the past have complained about the ineffectiveness of a tire sealant may have, in most cases, applied an expired sealant. This of course does not form an effective plug-in in the area of the puncture.

The hallmark of an expired sealant is the hardening of the sealant. This prevents its application. The sealant is made of sealing agents along with fibers and rubber particles.

The process of expiration involves the formation of a hard or solid clump between these particles and the sealing chemical agents. Irrespective of how vigorously the bottle is shaken, these clumps usually will not disperse.

While in this state, the sealant can’t achieve any form of usefulness against a puncture in the tire. The working mechanism of the sealant any time there is a puncture involves the flow of the sealant to the area with the puncture.

This flow is aided by the air that escapes out of the tire through the punctured part. At the initial stage of the puncture, air leaves the tire at high pressure, this explains the hissing sound heard during this time.

The pressure causes the liquid part of the sealant to escape out of the store through the puncture hole. The remanent binders and fibers then form a clot or mesh-like substance similar to the blood clot seen when the vascular integrity is compromised.

The binders and fibers cross-react with the sealing agents and form a plug that gets installed over the punctured area, thereby stopping further deflation of the tire. When this fluidity is lost as a result Of the expiration of the sealant, it will be unable to get to the picture hole or form a hard plug that seals off this hole.

One more important thing to take note of is the amount of the sealant that is applied. When overly applied, this could create a problem for the tire sensors as well as the wheel. In order not to have such ugly consequences, a sealant calculator may be used in this regard to make sure the appropriate amount of sealant is used.

Can you make use of an expired tire sealant?

The is a great chance that your sealant is no longer in its liquid form, that is, it may have dried up while you are completely unaware.

It is recommended to intermittently check the sealant to make sure it maintains its liquid consistently. The frequency of such inspection can be about once every two months, especially for tubeless tire sealants.

Once the sealant dries up or fails to harden up when applied, you can no longer make use of it later on when you develop a tire puncture.

For some sealant tire users, it is helpful to mark the rim with a tape or similar material upon which the date of installation of the sealant is noted. This is to ensure that the expiry date of the sealant is not miscalculated or forgotten.

There are other types of tore sealants that have a more easy and convenient method of assessing the liquidity of the sealant. This involves the use of a dipstick which allows for evaluation of the sealant without necessarily removing the valve core.

In its dried state, the sealant is unable to move to the site of the puncture and therefore useless against it. If the pictured area can be identified, the tire can be placed in such a position as to allow the sealant to freely flow to this point and seal off the puncture.

This however is only useful in the case of a small-size puncture. As for the puncture hole beyond the repair size of a sealant, the tire or tube will have to be changed.

It is helpful to always take note of the date written on the sealants packaging before purchasing it. Except for sealant which is said to lack an expiration date, most sealants are only functional for about a year depending on the tire condition, weather, and other factors.

There are those whose bottle shelf life does not exceed 2 to 7 months. These varying expiration dates are why every buyer should ensure to check out the packaging of the sealant to learn more about when the sealant could potentially become out of use.

To ensure that the sealant lasts a little longer, the cover should be strongly tightened, and the bottle stored in a cool and dry place.

As long as the sealant continues to maintain its liquid consistency without hardening up, it is safe to say that the sealant is yet to expire. Its texture while on the bottle or its failure to harden up when applied on a hard surface such as cardboard is a hallmark sign of its expiration.

Are tire sealants worth it?

There are certain drawbacks associated with tire sealants that could make you question whether it is worth buying or using. For example, in its dried state, the tire sealant could cause the wheel to go off balance.

Also, They are not a reliable solution to a tire puncture problem and can only allow a 15 to 20 minutes drive when applied. Rather than fixing the tire, they may end up causing even more damage to it, they have also been implicated in messing with the reading of the tire sensors.

Although tire sealants provide a quick and concept solution to tire puncture and are affordable when compared to other available options, it goes without saying that they are not free of the drawbacks some of which may cost you the tire.